SHOPPING CENTRES MEETING DEMAND
What are the benefits of specifying resin terrazzo for shopping centre floors? Flowcrete UK discuss with reference to some of their recent projects.
The floor of a shopping centre needs to work with the site’s overarching design to create an engaging retail experience. It also has to be maintained for an extended period of time despite the complex challenges of such a large- scale commercial facility.
For the designer this means striking a balance between appearance and performance. Not only are attractive visuals required, but the large numbers of visitors and long working hours will put a strain on the site’s materials, procedures and workforce.
There are few areas of a shopping centre where this is as difficult as the floor, as this aspect of the facility needs to ensure a robust, easy to maintain and eye- catching finish in the face of high levels of foot traffic, spillages of food and drink, physical impacts and regular cleaning.
Seamless epoxy resin terrazzo flooring can be utilised to meet the dual demands of functionality and aesthetics within shopping centres. This type of flooring provides architects with the flexibility to consider the floor area as one giant canvas on which to create bespoke works of art - with the durability to safeguard the floor’s visual impact against time and use.
This material’s design potential stems from the wide variety of available colours combined with a paint-by- numbers application technique that allows for the creation of bespoke patterns and complex images. Brass or aluminium trims are laid out on the floor to designate the outlines of the colours and the resin is poured into each block. The floor area and all the blocks together are then diamond ground to reveal the vibrant colours, aggregates and shapes underneath, creating a seamless expanse of terrazzo flooring.
Decorative aggregates can be added into the epoxy system to create a shimmering, luxurious lustre across the floor finish. These sparkling, light
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reflective additives can include mother of pearl, marble chippings, crystal glass, flint, granite and recycled glass.
As the backdrop to the site, the floor’s colour and design can be used to complement the shopping centre’s brand identity by conveying the same image, style, colour scheme, logos and patterns that customers associate with the location. A good example of this is the floor finish that Alexander McQueen installed in its first Asian flagship store. Mondéco Crystal, a white epoxy terrazzo surface with clear crystal and glass aggregates, was used to create a seamless floor with a glittering, elegant finish within the Beijing boutique.
Curved staircases and a ‘floating’ display table top were also installed using the epoxy system, creating a modern and highly stylised finish that reflected Alexander McQueen’s high- quality individuality.
At the Bugis+ mall in Singapore the same system was used on a large scale to install asymmetrical bands of contrasting black and white stripes across its main floor. This irregular geometric pattern blended with the building’s eccentric, off-centre architecture, creating a captivating overall effect.
Westfield shopping centre in London wanted its floor to reflect opulence and sophistication. To achieve this, Mondéco Exotic was applied across the floor in long lines of subtly changing shades of grey. The contemporary layout helped to create a refined ambience in the main concourse areas.
The seamless and impermeable nature of these floors is ideal for keeping them fresh and unblemished, as the onsite cleaning regime can quickly wash away any contaminants. The ability of resin terrazzo to withstand impacts, abrasions and stains avoids this seamless finish suffering from hard to clean cracks and untreatable scuffmarks.
Before specifying a shopping centre floor it is important to have a good understanding of the desired image as well as what challenges the site’s future use will inflict on the floor. The customisable nature of resin terrazzo provides shopping centre designers with a flexible option that can be tailored to meet these demands.
www.flowcrete.co.uk www.tomorrowsflooring.com
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